


Back Online

by space_ally



Category: Watch Dogs (Video Games)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Author is trans, Canon-Typical Violence, Coming Out, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Sorry, Introspection, M/M, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Panic Attacks, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, grounding exercises, no beta we die like men, trigger warnings in the notes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:48:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27112171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/space_ally/pseuds/space_ally
Summary: Follow up to OffLine.Wrench deals with the aftermath of what happened to him on the last job. Marcus tries to help.
Relationships: Marcus Holloway & Wrench (Watch Dogs), Marcus Holloway/Wrench (Watch Dogs)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 33





	Back Online

**Author's Note:**

> TW: very VERY mild discussions of rape like it's implied but never actually said but still please be safe.
> 
> also: mentions of transphobia but no slurs or deadnaming. 
> 
> It's definitely helpful to read OffLine first, otherwise this could be a little confusing.
> 
> It's 2 am and I just finished this hahaaa send help.

The storm hit San Francisco unexpectedly.

Apart from the single rainy day little over a week ago, there had been sunshine and barely any wind so when the water stood on the streets knee high and the wind pulled on the soaked clothes of those who dared to leave the house, naturally it took people by surprise.

Wrench was one of those surprised and soaked through people, using his fists to bang on the door to Marcus' apartment impatiently. Despite the mask shielding his face from the elements, the wind had blown his hood away and water was dripping from his wet hair, leaving little puddles where he was standing. 

When Marcus opened the door, he blinked sleepily, rubbing his eyes. 

"The hell happened to you?" he asked upon recognising the punk, barely able to hide the amused tone in his voice. 

Wrench pushed himself through the open door, as close to Marcus as possible. When he noticed that barely having an effect, he wrapped his arms around the man.

"Fuck, stop it, you're all wet and cold!"

Wrench snickered and let go, taking off the mask in the process, a visible spark coming from the wiring making him let it fall down as if he burned his hands.

"If I don't fix this, that thing becomes a death trap," he murmured more to himself, an empty stare fixated on the device.

Being taken by surprise for a second time today, he felt Marcus press a chaste kiss to his lips before he left to grab him some towels. 

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Marcus asked, grinning, as he handed a large, red towel to Wrench whose empty stare was on the other man now.

"Can you do that again?" he asked and Marcus gladly accepted his request, deepening the kiss this time, letting it drag on, hands buried into the sides of the towel around Wrench's shoulders. 

"Sick, man,” Wrench breathed out, starstruck, causing Marcus to break into laughter. 

“You okay?” he asked, a grin on his face as he gave the punk some room to dry himself off. 

“I just… Still can’t believe it. Some sick, surreal shit. Exactly my kind of thing.”

Marcus rolled his eyes, “You’re an idiot.”

He then went up to the window right across to take a look at what was going on outside while Wrench was drying himself off. 

“Why on earth would you go out when the weather’s doing… that?” Marcus pointed towards the window that revealed the dark grey, cloudy sky, the constant pattering of the rain and hail hitting the glass.

“Cause,” Wrench said, grabbing his mask from the floor before walking into the living-room-slash-bedroom of the apartment. 

Marcus slept on a sofa bed, technically. Most of the time, it didn’t get transformed back after the initial change so there was always a 50/50 chance of a cranky Marcus who barely got any sleep (sofa) or a somewhat rested Marcus who complained about his back hurting (bed). 

“Did you just wake up? It’s like 2 pm dude!” Wrench said, throwing himself onto the bed, letting his eyes wander around the room. 

This was only his second time visiting Marcus at home and the place was so Marcus, there was a lot to take in. From his DVD collection to various collectibles from video games or cult movies, framed posters from bands or tv shows, everything just piled on and Wrench loved it. 

“Last night’s mission dragged on for so long, I came home way past 4. You’re lucky I let your ungrateful ass in in the first place,” Marcus teased on his way to the kitchen. He opened the fridge, considering his food options. 

“Did you have breakfast already?” he asked over his shoulder, opening the carton of orange juice to check if it was still good. It wasn’t. He emptied it into the sink, not without pulling a face of disgust. 

“Marcus Holloway,” Wrench said and by the tone of his voice, Marcus was certain his face was already hidden beneath his mask again, “Do I seem like a breakfast person to you?”

The guy in question turned around to look at the punk who had his hands on his hips, sassing him. 

“I hate you,” he rolled his eyes, yet they both knew he wasn’t being serious, “Fine, Mister ‘I’m-too-punk-for-breakfast’, have you eaten today?”

Wrench’s leds displayed a gleeful expression “I have not.”

***

“Maybe I will become a breakfast person,” Wrench announced loudly after they had finished their breakfast, both of them sitting on the bed now, the TV playing in the background but no one paid it any attention. 

“Dude, it’s just cold pizza. We should get proper breakfast together some time. Maybe even-” Marcus started but was interrupted by Wrench who had turned around to look at him threateningly: “If you say brunch I will hit you. I will hit you in your perfect face and have zero regrets about it.”

“So my boyfriend is satisfied with being served cold pizza at 2 pm but I can’t take him out to…” Marcus paused, considering the consequences of his next word yet ignoring them, “Brunch?”

“I warned you, M. I warned you!” Wrench grumbled but there was no aggression in his voice as he tackled the other man, tickling his sides until they were both out of breath and he collapsed on Marcus’ chest, sighing contently. 

“You’re spiky.”

“You’re soft,” Wrench replied but still took off his vest and mask before he laid back down, Marcus wrapping his arm around his shoulders, pulling him closer. They stayed like this for a while, listening to the storm outside and the other’s heartbeat, the rise and fall of their chests. 

“I knew him,” Wrench said after what felt like an eternity yet barely any time at all because somehow time flew when they were together and it stopped whenever they looked at each other.

Marcus heard the serious intonation in his boyfriend’s voice and sat up to get a better look at him, his arm still around the other man. He wasn’t sure how to react or what to say as he didn’t want to push it yet he wanted to make sure Wrench knew he was listening.

“The one. That did these things to me.”

He pulled down the collar of his sweater to reveal the thin red line, less prominent now, a week after they had escaped, a week of healing behind them. Marcus’ own injuries weren’t fully healed yet and he couldn’t tell how Wrench’s were doing by the fact that he didn’t speak of them ever. Sitara had asked him about his shoulder wound about three days ago but he had just shrugged it off. 

They hadn’t really discussed their new relationship with the rest of the team but everyone had caught on to the shift of temperature ever since they had started talking to each other again. They were still on the fence about public displays of affection but Wrench had quite a hard time keeping his hands to himself so them dating wasn’t really a secret. Yet it could easily be brushed off as them being themselves.

Marcus looked into Wrench’s eyes even though the man tried to avoid his looks, suddenly feeling insecure about opening up. 

“Take your time,” Marcus comforted him, using his free hand to take his hand and intertwine their fingers. It was then that he noticed that the punk was shaking. 

“Do you remember when someone was doxxing DedSec members?” Wrench asked and Marcus nodded, not wanting to interrupt. 

“I asked you if they had shared my name too. I haven’t heard it in a long time because I put my past behind me indefinitely and it’s not me. It never was. I-I didn’t know how to tell you because I didn’t know when the time was right and because I am- I was scared.”

Wrench took a shaky breath and Marcus tightened the grip on his hand. 

“I’m trans. None of the others know and I don’t think I want them to know yet.”

Marcus gave him a few more minutes unless he wanted to add something before he replied: “I understand. Thank you for trusting me with this. It means a lot.”

Wrench nodded, he was still shaking.

“I went to school with the guy and he, I don’t know, he recognised me. He wasn’t one of the bullies who got physical, he was just friends with them, settling for calling me names while his friends beat me up. Over a stupid birthmark. Which is why he recognised me.”

Wrench got quiet as he felt something in his chest tighten. The highschool memories came flooding back and he felt like they buried him. He wanted to put on his mask, to shield himself from them but his hands reached for nothing and his panic worsened as he couldn’t find it, touches growing more erratic. 

“Hey, hey breathe. Wrench. It’s okay,” Marcus tried to calm him down, letting go of him to be able to hand him his mask that had fallen onto the floor. 

The punk was still uneasy and breathing too fast and Marcus had no idea how to help him so he kept talking, hoping for the best.

“You’re safe. You’re here with me, no one can hurt you. Can you name five things you can see? Can you do that for me?”

He kept his distance but stayed in line of vision, close enough that Wrench could reach out for him if he wanted to. His voice was shaky when he followed Marcus' request. 

"Awesome, you're doing great. Now what about four things you can touch?"

Wrench let his hands scrunch up the sheets of the bed they were sitting on, listing other things he could touch, including the spikes on his mask. He took a deep breath.

"I'm so proud of you. Can you tell me three things you can hear?"

The punk allowed himself to get lost in the pattering sound of the rain outside the building, listening closer to identify the muted sound of traffic and the humming of the fridge inside the apartment. 

He reached out for Marcus and let himself be pulled into a hug. 

"You smell nice," he continued the grounding exercise, burying his nose in his boyfriend's shirt. He also felt a breeze of cold air from a window, slightly ajar, in the kitchen. It transported the smell of rain and Wrench's breathing relaxed. 

His heart was still pounding in his chest but he didn't feel like suffocating anymore. 

Marcus held him in his arms, his hands wandering over the back of his sweater, soft strokes, caressing him. They just sat there, breathing together until Wrench felt able to face Marcus again.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

"Don't. You don't have anything to feel sorry about," Marcus said and it sounded a little harsher than intended because he was so appalled by Wrench feeling sorry for showing emotion. 

The punk nodded, not yet 100 percent convinced. His mask hid his worries well though. He cleared his throat.

"Maybe we should check in with the rest," he said, pulling out his smartphone. 

Marcus knew there was more about the encounter in the warehouse than Wrench was telling him about but he knew better than to keep asking when it was obvious he wouldn't, or couldn't, talk about it at the moment. 

"Yeah, maybe they've made more sensible choices than going outside while the world is ending," he teased and Wrench's mask displayed an annoyed expression.

"I'm joking, I like having you here," Marcus confessed and pressed a kiss to the side of his boyfriend's mask. 

"Sap," Wrench answered, practically beaming underneath the mask. He wrapped his arms around the other man and cuddled into him.

Marcus pulled up his laptop and before he noticed what he had done, he was in a video chat with Sitara and Ray, both of them at the Hackerspace. 

"Hi Mar- wait a second, Wrench? You and Wrench? And you haven't told us?!" Sitara practically screamed as she recognised the two of them, startling Wrench who pulled away immediately.

He verbally key smashed, throwing his masked face into the next pillow he could find while Marcus felt heat rising to his cheeks, unsure of what to do. 

"We figured you could tell?" he said, more of a question than an answer and felt his boyfriend punch him in the arm lightly. Marcus gestured helplessly and Wrench sat up, finally facing the screen and Ray, Sitara and… Josh too? 

He pressed the pillow to his face again, groaning. 

"Oh my god, I can't believe it!" Sitara was practically vibrating with excitement, "Let me guess, you're all soft and cheesy around each other too, right?"

Ray laughed while Josh shrugged and left the frame. 

"Wait, you're not surprised at all?" Sitara asked Josh, going after him, taking whatever device she had accepted the call on with her.

"They've always been close. It makes sense."

"Wait. A. Minute. You're absolutely right! I can't believe I didn't figure it out sooner!" Sitara went back to where she sat before. 

Wrench was still groaning into the pillow. Marcus had stopped paying attention to the team's shenanigans and couldn't help snickering upon the sight of an embarrassed Wrench.

"Look, he's all heart-eyes too!" Sitara pointed at the screen.

Now Marcus was the embarrassed one as Wrench lifted the pillow from his face to get a look at his boyfriend and his reddened cheeks.

He got out his phone, typing up a message and sending it to Marcus, making sure Ray, Josh and Sitara wouldn't hear him say the words. 

**You look cute blushing. Can we hang up the call so I can kiss those heated cheeks or do we both need to die from embarrassment first?**

Marcus checked his phone and felt his cheeks get even redder, if that was possible. 

"Technical difficulties," he said, faking a bad connection and ending the call. The laptop was barely shut when Wrench had already tackled him, his mask pulled up just far enough to be able to kiss him. 

***

“I look ridiculous. Like a hipster. I look like you!” Wrench looked at his reflection in the living room mirror in horror. He was wearing a pair of sweatpants and a shirt Marcus had given him since the storm hadn’t calmed down; they figured it would be best if Wrench stayed over night. 

“Fuck you,” Marcus laughed shaking out the blanket of the sofabed. 

Wrench came over, wrapping his arms around the other man from behind, keeping him from his task but Marcus sure as hell wasn't going to complain.

"Thanks, dude," Wrench said, shoving up his mask just enough to press a kiss to Marcus' cheek who turned around in shock.

"Did you just 'dude' me?"

Wrench snickered, "Yeah, you got a problem with that?"

Marcus rolled his eyes, smiling mischievously. 

"A problem? Me? Nah, bro, I'm good."

Marcus climbed under the sheets, still grinning, congratulating himself on his smart move. 

Definitely sulking, Wrench sat down next to him, spreading the blanket over his legs and stomach before he let himself fall in the pile of pillows.

"You alright?" 

"I'm awesome," Wrench sassed back, "Just… Two dudes. Chillin' on a sofa bed, like two feet apart 'cause they're not gay."

"That reminds me, actually…" Marcus said, holding back laughter as he turned to Wrench.

"I'm not gay."

Wrench tilted his head. 

"Good for you, dude, whatever, I'd say kissing your boyfriend has a hint of gay but you do you, you know?"

"I'm bi you dumbass and stop calling me dude."

"I'll stop calling you dude when you stop calling me bro!"

"You started it!"

"Deal?" Wrench held out his hand, waiting for Marcus to shake it. He did, not without expressing his annoyance. 

He pulled up his phone, pressed a button on it and all the lights in the apartment switched off, the two men falling backwards into their pillows. 

Marcus turned to his side to get a better look at his boyfriend. He was still wearing his mask, staring at the roof, breathing calmly. His arms were laying flat on the sofabed and Marcus didn't think, just reached for the arm closest to him. 

Wrench returned his grip with a light squeeze. 

"Thank you. For not pushing me to keep talking," he murmured before he let go of Marcus' hand to turn away, sliding off his mask in a swift motion.

Marcus swallowed hard and nodded, not sure what to answer so he didn't. He closed his eyes but spent the night wide awake.

***

It took almost three weeks for Wrench to come forward with more details about the failed mission and even then, he only told Marcus.

They had had lunch together, just the two of them, at a small Italian restaurant at a table in a corner as far away from others as possible. The checkered tablecloth looked cheap, the candlelight was sparse but the Pasta was to die for. 

"At first he didn't believe his eyes. It took him a moment to remember me. He… He said he understands why I'm wearing the mask, considering I was lying about other things too," Wrench's voice was small and insecure. 

"He was referring to my gender. Said it was all a lie but what else could he expect from… _Someone_ like me. He didn't say someone, he used one of those words that he and his friends had used back in school."

Marcus put down his fork. 

"When I looked back up at him, he had that look on his face. That look that all his friends had, the ones that had more to say than he did. And I know it wasn't about me, it was about him. About taking control. Exercising power."

Wrench's mask was lifted up a little revealing his chin and allowing him to eat, now it also revealed a single teardrop that slipped past his jaw. 

Marcus held his breath unknowingly. 

"So he took control of me. Made sure I knew who was in charge of the situation. And because it didn't satisfy him enough, he started beating me up."

Wrench's hands were shaking as he pushed his fork around on the plate of half-eaten spaghetti.

"I'm going to kill him," Marcus exhaled his breath, rising up from his seat. Wrench quickly pulled him back in his seat by his arm. 

"M, no. Please. I just… I just want to forget him. It. Everything about it."

"Wrench, we can bust his ass! He can't just get away with this shit he'll just go on and-" Marcus stopped.

_And do it again._

"I am not asking you to drop this. It's not a request," Wrench said, pulling his mask back down and shoving the plate away. He couldn't stomach any more food right now. 

Marcus folded his arms in front of his chest, clearly annoyed. Not at Wrench. Maybe a little at Wrench but he didn't allow his mind to go in that direction. 

"Do you plan on telling anyone else? Not necessarily the team, maybe someone else. That's some heavy shit and you shouldn't have to deal with it on your own."

"I told you," Wrench replied. 

"I'm not a therapist, Wrench. I'm glad you trust me and I'm glad you told me but I have never been through something like that and I don't know how to help you," Marcus confessed. 

"I don't need help."

Wrench threw a few dollar bills on the table and left without waiting for his boyfriend. 

***

Sitara slid into the seat next to Marcus, shoving him with his shoulder. 

"Everything alright between you two?"

They were hanging out at the Hackerspace, Wrench was over at Josh's computer, Josh focused on work, Wrench staring holes into the rooftop. He did that a lot lately. 

Ray was sitting across Sitara and Marcus, not in listening distance and maybe that was what made Marcus choose to talk.

"I want to go after the assholes that held him captive but he doesn't want me to," he settled for parts of the truth without violating Wrench's privacy. 

Sitara sighed and crossed her arms in front of her chest, looking over to the man in question. 

"He's stubborn, yes, but so are you. It would be a waste of time and energy to go after them. Especially since they were hired for a job. Should they take another job like that, we'll get them next time."

Marcus balled his hands into fists. 

"Torture is in no one's job description. You've seen him when we came back, right?!"

Sitara put a hand on Marcus' arm to try and calm him down but he pulled away. 

"That wasn't the worst state I've seen him in, Marcus. Or you. Our job is not exactly… Safe. If it was, none of us would be here because I know I've got a bunch of adrenaline junkies here. It's why we work so well. Wrench is his own person, making his own choices and you have to respect that. Relationship or not."

She paused, thought about her next sentence carefully. 

"If you can't see him getting hurt, you should… Keep some distance."

Marcus' voice was louder than he intended it to be when he spun around to her and asked: "Are you saying we shouldn't be together?!"

Across the room, Wrench flinched. Josh had stopped typing.

Wrench threw Josh a look and the man resumed working while Wrench pretended to not have heard Marcus outburst. 

"That's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying, respect his choices, that's all you can do. Just because you're in a relationship, doesn't mean a person belongs to you, do you understand? There's this quote with a bird or something…" Sitara tried to remember. 

"If you love someone, set them free," Wrench said as he walked past them and left. 

"Fuck," Marcus cursed and went after him.

***

For a hacker, Wrench was a little too predictable. If you knew him well enough.

Most of the time, Marcus didn't feel like he knew Wrench really well. He only knew what he wanted Marcus to know.

Wrench was sitting on the same bench he had been sitting on when Marcus had given his mask back to him. His legs were pushed up to his chest, his arms wrapped around them. He had built up a barrier between himself and the outside world. 

Marcus sat down next to him, his arms on his sides, hands on the wooden bench, an invitation for the other man to take the hand between them in his hands. If he chose to break down the barrier.

"Hey…" Marcus said, waiting for a reaction, something to tell him how the other man felt. How much of the conversation he had heard.

Wrench didn't reply. 

"I'm not a mind reader, Wrench. Can you tell me what you're thinking about?"

"Are you going to break up with me?"

Marcus shook his head. 

"Of course not, why would you think that?"

"Because of what Sitara said. Because I refuse to let you go after that guy. Because you're so angry lately and I'm not helping with that one bit. Because you realised I'm too messed up to be in a relationship, that I have-"

Marcus put his hands on both sides of Wrench's mask, looking into the eyes that were hidden behind it. 

"Don't you ever think you're too messed up to deserve to be loved. You're not. And I love you. And I'm not angry at you, I'm angry at myself and not being able to do anything. So as long as you're not sick of me, I would never break up with you. Do you understand?"

Wrench swallowed dryly. 

"You… Love me?"

"Of course I do, you idiot!"

The masked hacker allowed himself to be pulled close to his boyfriend who put an arm around his shoulders. 

"I'd kiss you but your mask is too spiky," Marcus said, poking at it lightly.

Wrench took it off with a smooth motion and closed the distance between them, relaxing into the kiss. 

"I love you too," he whispered against his partner's lips before kissing them again and again, the soft kisses turning into more heated ones, impatient ones. 

"We should go back to my place," Marcus murmured, pressing a kiss to Wrench's neck who shuddered in response.

"Mhm, your phone," came Wrench's breathy response and Marcus let go of him as he heard the device ringing. 

"Since when does Sitara call?"

Wrench unlocked his own phone, spotting at least three missed calls. 

"Something's not right," he said, watching Marcus answer the call. 

The other man listened for a moment before he replied: "We're on our way."

He hung up the phone and took Wrench's hand, pulling him towards his car. 

"What happened?"

"It's the guys from the Warehouse job. They've got Josh."

***

Ray was pressing a pack of ice onto his blackened eye while Sitara held a piece of cloth to her nose, soaking up the blood around it. 

The headquarters were a mess, shattered screens, broken glass and torn cables everywhere, the sofa tossed aside carelessly. 

"Shit, how are you guys doing?" Marcus pulled Sitara into a hug before she could protest.

"How did they find us?" Wrench said. He had put his mask back on but even the electronics of it couldn't hide the shaking of his voice. 

"They must have tracked you," Ray murmured, taking the ice pack off his eye to look at Wrench. 

Wrench shook his head but didn't reply. 

"Did they give you anything? Water? Food?" Sitara asked. 

"I-i thought it was a sedative. It had to be anything else doesn't make any sense…" his hand rubbed over a tiny scar on the side of his neck and Sitara immediately walked over to him to inspect the scar closer.

She grabbed onto the pockets of her jeans and took out a knife, flipping it open. 

"Hey, whoa-" Wrench threw up his hands in defense but Sitara just looked at him until he put them back down.

"They chipped you. Fuck. Godfucking dammit! We should have checked for this!" she threw the bloody piece of cloth at Wrench so he could wipe off the blood on his neck. 

"Did they say anything? Why did they take Josh with them? What the hell actually happened?" Marcus asked. 

"Barged in here with like ten people. Knocked me right out. I came back to my senses when one of them was holding onto Sitara, choking her. Three of them dragged Josh with them. The one holding Sitara said we'd know where to find them. And what they'd want in exchange for Josh."

Ray leaned against the broken vending machine in his back. 

"That's it? How the fuck should we know what they want? We didn't steal anything!"

No one said anything. Marcus looked at the remaining team members in confusion. 

"You did take something, M," Wrench finally said and looked up at his boyfriend. 

Realising what he was talking about, Marcus started shaking his head. 

"Me. You took me."

Wrench was shaking. 

"I think I'm going to be sick," he announced before turning on his heel and running back up the stairs. 

***

"We can't do this. It's not going to work," Marcus said, pushing up his glasses so he could rub his eyes with his hands. 

"He's right, they outnumber us. They're heavily armed and we're… down one… actually two men," Ray shook his head. 

"It's the only way!" Sitara insisted, "Do you just want to let Josh stay there? You know what they did to Wrench!”

The man in question jumped up from the spot on the floor he had been sitting in. Ever since he had come back he had stayed in the same place, all the way in the corner of the room, without saying a word. 

"I'm going."

"We don't have a plan!" Ray argued. 

"It's me he wants. And I won't let him do to Josh what he did to me. The minute Josh is safe you kill the lights. My mask will let me see in the dark. This is the best bet and we all know it." 

Marcus stood up as well, walking over to Wrench. 

"What if you can't get out?"

"You'll take Josh to safety. I will be fine. I need Ray and Marcus in the Van, Sitara will come with me to go and get Josh."

Wrench left no room for objections as he walked up the stairs, not waiting for an answer. 

***

"Why can't I be the one to come with you?" Marcus whispered, pressing his face against Wrench's chest, taking deep breaths. 

They were parked outside the warehouse he still dreamed about sometimes, the tracks from their escape car's tires almost still visible in the grass outside. 

"Because you won't let me go," Wrench replied and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before he pulled his mask back down. 

"I love you," he told Marcus. 

"Let's go," he said to Sitara. 

Walking up to the concrete building he felt his steps get heavier and his breaths get more shallow. He felt like there wasn't enough air around, panic rising in his chest. 

His hands were sweating and shaking. It didn't stop Sitara from taking one of them in hers. She interlaced their fingers.

"Are you sure?"

Everything inside of him told him to get the hell out of this place, to just run in the opposite direction until nothing felt familiar anymore, but he nodded. Josh was family. They all were.

"We're here!" Sitara yelled into the seemingly empty warehouse, squeezing Wrench's hand before letting go. 

A tall, muscular man in a bulletproof vest and camouflage clothing stepped out from behind a large, wooden crate. Apparently they had replaced their interior with the same as before. 

The man murmured something into a Walkie Talkie. Receiving a response, he walked closer. 

"Come with me," he advised Wrench, barely acknowledging Sitara next to him.

"I'm not going anywhere until our friend is handed over to her," Wrench pointed at Sitara. 

Another word exchange through the Walkie Talkie. A door opened in the back of the large hall.

Two men in the same clothing and armour as the one in front of the DedSec members escorted someone in a green hoodie. He had a small limp but he was walking by himself, not even tied up. 

"What did you do to him?" Sitara asked, not taking her eyes off the small group getting closer. 

She didn't get a response. 

The group stopped right behind the single guard. Josh looked up, relief washing over his face when he recognised Sitara and Wrench. 

"Are you okay, Josh?" Wrench asked and the other man nodded. 

The single guard stepped back and grabbed Josh by the arm while the other two stepped forwards and started searching Sitara and Wrench for guns.

"They're clear," the taller of the two said. 

The single guard nodded and the two both grabbed Wrench by one arm each. 

"Hey! I'm not going anywhere until my friends are safe!" Wrench tried to get out of their grip. 

Heavy steps echoed through the warehouse. Wrench knew who they belonged to and he felt his heart beat in his throat. 

"Leave the mask. It's not necessary where _this one_ is going."

This guy's uniform was completely black and even more padded. 

Wrench felt his mask being torn from his face and carelessly thrown aside, catching a glimpse of the other guard pushing Josh at Sitara. 

"Leave," he told them when he felt a needle tear through his skin and the world turned dark around him.

***

Wrench dreamed of Marcus. 

He felt the cold fingers of reality reaching for him, grabbing him, but Marcus was soft and warm and sunshine and he was not ready to let go. 

Life felt less hopeless with him. 

For years Wrench had lived by the principle of making it through another day, surviving, breathing, existing. 

Suddenly, there had been this force of life and Wrench had purpose. 

He didn't feel lost anymore because he had been found. 

The darkness greeting him as he opened his eyes threw him right back into nothingness, however. 

He had lost Marcus and now he had hopelessly lost himself as well. 

"Wrench. Is that how you call yourself now?" 

The voice was scary. Familiar scary. Wrench had never been a fan of horror movies, he hated the feeling of knowing he was going to get frightened by something. He was afraid of being afraid. Maybe because he had been afraid all his life.

He had been afraid to tell Marcus about his past but with Marcus words just seemed less scary. Powerless. That's what it was. They had lost their power over him. 

"Pathetic."

The booming voice interrupted his train of thought. The words were not interesting, there was no power in them. 

Wrench simply didn't care anymore. 

"Look at me, you pathetic little worm!"

It was dark. Even if he was to follow the orders of the man with the loud, annoying voice, he wouldn't have been able to see him anyway so what was the point? What was the point in anything? 

He felt a sharp pain, a slap to his face. 

"I said look at me!"

Wrench just wanted to go back, back to his dream, to Marcus and his cozy little apartment and his warm and reassuring voice. He wanted to kiss him again and again and see where those kisses would lead them. 

"Look at me or I'll shoot him."

Wrench's eyes snapped open and the whole room was bright and spinning but he would have recognised the blurry being in the corner of the room anywhere. 

Wrench tried to call his name but no sound left his mouth and he squirmed in agony. 

"See? There we go!"

Everything was still too bright and too blurry and Wrench felt like he was going to be sick again but Marcus was here and he had to do something. 

A big hand closed around his neck and pulled him to his feet, slamming him into the wall in his back hard enough to make him see stars.

"I didn't want you to miss this," the man said and his voice disgusted Wrench. 

He heard a gun click and his head shot upwards.

Again, Wrench was screaming but no sound left his lips as he stumbled forwards. Red liquid exploded in his face and he felt the hard floor catch his fall. He was sure he was still screaming when he drifted back into darkness. 

***

Wrench knew he had to be dreaming. Dreaming of the busy streets outside of Marcus' apartment. Dreaming of the smell of coffee and stale donuts. Dreaming of the woollen blanket that was wrapped around him tightly, almost like a hug.

His throat was aching and it was dark again and he just wanted to dream of Marcus, not his stupid apartment or a stupid blanket. 

"Wrench!"

His frustration seemed to bear fruits as he heard the voice of his best friend and partner. 

"Come on, Wrench, wake up. I need to know you're okay."

A trap. It had to be. 

"I love you, Wrench."

Too good to be true. Before he could stop himself, he had opened his eyes and was staring right at Marcus.

"Oh thank fuck, I was so worried. That must have been one hell of a drug."

Wrench blinked, once, twice. Marcus was still there, a half-smile on his face, a little bit of powdered sugar on his upper lip, his glasses dirty, dimming the shine of his eyes.

Wrench tried to speak but his mouth and throat felt desert-dry. He sat up and recognised Marcus' sofabed. 

"Here," Marcus handed him a cup with water in it. Wrench had emptied it before he could add anything.

"What?" he asked and there it was, his voice. 

"They drugged you, babe. I went in and let them capture me and the rest of the gang got us out. You're safe."

 _Babe?_

"What about-”

"Dead. Ray shot him. How are you?"

Wrench was still staring at Marcus as if he was a ghost.

"Josh?"

"A twisted ankle. He was more angry about his destroyed equipment however."

Wrench set down the empty cup and his hands instantly reached for Marcus. They found his cheeks, caressing them carefully, stroking over the light stubble.

"You okay?" Marcus laughed and pressed a kiss to the palm of Wrench's hand.

The usually masked hacker took a shaking breath and suddenly tears streamed over his cheeks.

"Hey, hey, everything's alright! It's over, Wrench! He's never going to hurt you or anyone else ever again," Marcus had wrapped his boyfriend in a tight hug.

"I thought you were dead. I thought I'd never see you again," Wrench hiccuped through tears and more shaky breaths. 

"I'm fine. I'm not going anywhere. I promise. I love you."

"I love you too."

Marcus' phone made a rustling sound until suddenly Sitara spoke, using the DedSec voice chat. 

"Earth to Wrencus, can you guys hear us?"

"Wrencus?" Marcus asked, picking up his phone. 

"You see I put Wrench and Marcus together since you too are already inseparable. But: you can hear us?"

"Depends on who 'us' is," Marcus teased and Wrench escaped a laugh.

"Me, Sitara and Josh," Ray said and Marcus cheered.

"Loud and clear!" he confirmed.

"That means we're officially back online,” Josh said. 

"Fuck yeah," Wrench said and squeezed Marcus' free hand, throwing him a loving glance. 

"Fuck yeah indeed," Marcus confirmed and squeezed even harder, grinning from ear to ear. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, comments and kudos make my day!
> 
> I have a twitter (@ajayalive) and depression haha.
> 
> Oh and Wrench Cosplay pictures on my Instagram (@ajayalive).
> 
> I have also pre-ordered Watch Dogs: Legion because they announced Wrench, I guess I'm predictable like that...


End file.
